The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Sluicing Thru the Flatbush Tube

pic: Linda Rosier

Not a done deal by any means. But what if the Q were to tell you that Bike Lanes might finally be in store for Flatbush from Empire to GAP? The Q's beside himself with joy, even if there's bound to be push back from you know who and the zealot drivers at CB9.

Eric Adams, I could kiss you. Instead, I'll just send folks to this AMNY link.

And more on the Park Perimeter Projects (Triple P) happening City-wide, from Gothamist, the paper apparently edited by Commissioner Gordon.

What will happen, mark my words, is that because this is an initiative of AB's nemesis Eric Adams, she will fire up the crowd to "look closely," which will then fire up Karen Fleming, Valerie Fleming and members of the Orthodox Community, and other folks who are still fuming about PPW. It will be a fight, and AB which watch and enjoy every minute.

Despite efforts to keep me off the Executive Committee, I added my name as Secretary at the last possible moment. They may have got me kicked of Transportation, but I'm not giving up yet. CB9 is way past due an overhaul. Now it's personal - they're standing in the way of safety improvements. I got kids now. I feel like Papa Bear fighting the forces of evil.

As a frequent driver on the Flatbush Speedway I welcome a bike lane. As it exists now, it's a very scary squeeze with a cyclist on your right and a passing car on your left. But my hope is that this bike lane can be intergrated with the redesign of the fenceline on the east side of the park, rather than take away traffic lanes or parking spaces. As I understand it, the redesign will move the fence a few feet back farther into the park and widen the sidewalk. It would seem that what is now that weedy patch between the sidewalk and roadway would work as a bike space. Ideal as it could be physically separate from the car lanes, same as exists on PPW now. A bike lane proposal that removes traffic lanes or parking spaces will inevitably draw opposition. And it's hardly the best solution for cyclists either. From what I see from my car, bike lanes around here that exist beside traffic lanes are more like passing lanes and shortcuts for dollar vans and livery cabs.